Yes, I learned about muscle memory from yoga and tai chi, and it does take some repetition to get your muscles to memorize movements so you can do them without thinking.

It isn't so much about which style is `faster', but which is easier and more comfortable for the individual knitter to use. I crochet too, I think I learned about the same time as knitting, but I realize they're different ways of manipulating yarn and I hold it in my left to crochet, and my right to knit.